Hey guys, I went to my hospitals bariatric support group and the nutritionist from my surgeons office was there to talk to us tonight. The topic of carbs came up and she said we should be eating a minimum of 60 grams of carbs a day, more if we exercise a lot. This blew me away and frankly I am kind of scared to even try that! Now she isn't my regular nutritionist because I see someone outside of my surgeons office (who is approved by my Dr.), but she is the NUT that creates the doctors plans, so I am wondering if I shod follow her advice about carbs. I have been keeping them to about 35-40g per day and have been losing about 13lbs per month with that. What do you guys think? Should I up my carbs? That concept in and of itself scares me!

60? Hmm.... there must be a reason, maybe about where you are in your journey? My NUT and surgeon have me on no more than 50g a day with 100g of protein. I would probably get another opinion from your surgeon and your regular nutritionist, see what your entire medical team thinks. It's also up to you, if what you are doing is working for you and you feel healthy and well, it's your prerogative.

@@MarceMonster I would definitely get a second opinion from my own nutritionist. Some people can eat that many grams a day or more and still lose weight, but I know I couldn't. You need to do what works for you, though.

I am on about 50 carbs a day and 60 in protein and I am doing fine I am at a total of 60bls lost since surgery on may 11the I have stlled for the last week now but I here it is expected

I never worried about carb counts (surgeon never jumped onto that bandwagon when it came into fashion a few years ago,) though my intake was typically in the 70-100 gm per day range and never had any problems with loss rate or stalls - caloric deficit is your primary determiner of loss rate. The plan did seek to minimize simple carbs and sugars had little objection to complex carbs (once Protein goals are met, of course.)

As we often see in our endeavors, quality tends to count more than quantity - most who strive to keep carb counts ultra low by using artificial sweeteners (some of which behave the same as real sugar as far as cravings, insulin response and addictive properties, though they are "zero carb") and frankenfoods like "low carb" breads don't do any better than those who consume a greater count of high quality complex carbs.

When I asked my actual surgeon, he told me that was a question for the NUT! So, I don't know, I feel uncomfortable with regularly eating 60+ grams of carbs, but I will get a second opinion from my personal nutritionist who I see once a month. I also kind of feel like I am losing a pretty good amount of weight, why mess with it?! I think what I may do, after getting this approved by my NUT, is eat the way I have been except for like one day per week or every two weeks where I'll allow myself slight more good carbs. Do any of you have a planed for "cheat day". Some research even suggests that it prevents your body from stalling out.

I never worried about carb counts (surgeon never jumped onto that bandwagon when it came into fashion a few years ago,) though my intake was typically in the 70-100 gm per day range and never had any problems with loss rate or stalls - caloric deficit is your primary determiner of loss rate. The plan did seek to minimize simple carbs and sugars had little objection to complex carbs (once Protein goals are met, of course.)

As we often see in our endeavors, quality tends to count more than quantity - most who strive to keep carb counts ultra low by using artificial sweeteners (some of which behave the same as real sugar as far as cravings, insulin response and addictive properties, though they are "zero carb") and frankenfoods like "low carb" breads don't do any better than those who consume a greater count of high quality complex carbs.

That's basically how she explained it. I was also told that I am attempting to "burn the candle at both ends" and there is no reason to have the severe calorie deficit and eat very low carb.

@@MarceMonster ...

I'm one of those who didn't worry about low carb during my weight loss phases. Serindipitously, I wound up eating about the same number of grams of carbs and Proteins on an average daily basis.

I also am one of those who, after 4 months, starting increasing the number of calories I ate (on the advice of my bariatric PA) so as not to accustom my body to operating on low cals. I added calories by increasing my Protein and adding low-glycemic, high-Fiber carbs (colored veggies, lower-sugar fruits, whole grains).

I didn't lose as fast as you're losing, but I really didn't care so much about speed. On the other hand, I didn't have any big or long stalls, but lost steadily.

Although my daily intake varied, here are the daily averages I aimed for:

Month 1 - 500 cals, 60 gms protein

Months 2-4 - 800 cals, 70-75 grams protein

Months 5-6 - 1,000 cals, 85 grams protein

Months 7-8 - 1,200 cals, 100 grams protein (I reached my weight goal (150 lbs) during Month 8)

Thereafter, I added 100 cals/day every few weeks, until I have found a "sweet spot" that works for me -- at 144 pounds and 1700-1750 cals/day (average).

I can't prove it, of course, but my theory is that eating more calories and more carbs while I was losing weight has helped me be able to eat more to maintain my weight at a pretty high calorie budget.

But I've only been at maintenance for 3.5 months. As I've said repeatedly, things may change. And if they do, I'll have to change how I'm eating.

This whole trip is very interesting. I've come to understand and accept that what works best for Person A is not necessarily what works best for Person B.

@@MarceMonster ...

I'm one of those who didn't worry about low carb during my weight loss phases. Serindipitously, I wound up eating about the same number of grams of carbs and Proteins on an average daily basis.

I also am one of those who, after 4 months, starting increasing the number of calories I ate (on the advice of my bariatric PA) so as not to accustom my body to operating on low cals. I added calories by increasing my Protein and adding low-glycemic, high-fiber carbs (colored veggies, lower-sugar fruits, whole grains).

I didn't lose as fast as you're losing, but I really didn't care so much about speed. On the other hand, I didn't have any big or long stalls, but lost steadily.

Although my daily intake varied, here are the daily averages I aimed for:

Month 1 - 500 cals, 60 gms protein

Months 2-4 - 800 cals, 70-75 grams protein

Months 5-6 - 1,000 cals, 85 grams protein

Months 7-8 - 1,200 cals, 100 grams protein (I reached my weight goal (150 lbs) during Month 8)

Thereafter, I added 100 cals/day every few weeks, until I have found a "sweet spot" that works for me -- at 144 pounds and 1700-1750 cals/day (average).

I can't prove it, of course, but my theory is that eating more calories and more carbs while I was losing weight has helped me be able to eat more to maintain my weight at a pretty high calorie budget.

But I've only been at maintenance for 3.5 months. As I've said repeatedly, things may change. And if they do, I'll have to change how I'm eating.

This whole trip is very interesting. I've come to understand and accept that what works best for Person A is not necessarily what works best for Person B.

That is a good point; I wonder if it will be hard for me when I need to maintain if my body is used to maintain if my body is used to very low carb that being said, I have been eating low car by for 2 months, if I increase them now will that affect my weight loss too?

@@IcanMakeit How long did it take you to get to 105? I am really short, 5 feet tall, so I set my goal weight to 120, and my stretch goal to 105. I would be amazed if I could reach either, I have never been below 135!

@@MarceMonster ...

I can't predict for you what effect some more carbs would have on your weight loss rate. The only way to find out is to experiment on yourself. Without going nuts, of course. One thought -- I've found that making gradual changes instead of rapid ones gives my body a chance to adjust.

I do think it's important that we not to be scared by this process. We won't be able to control everything about our lives. Stuff happens. I don't mean by that that we should invite the winds of chaos into our process. But I do observe that we who have the obesity disease tend to be all-or-nothing, perfection-or-failure kinds of people, an orientation that hasn't served us well at all.

I am a scientist, by training. And I keep my dieting stats like crazy. I use My Fitness Pal, transfer some of the data into Excel, run graphs, see how outcomes change when my eating / exercise changes, and how long it takes for those changes to occur. One thing that seems clear is that if I do something on Friday, the scale doesn't automatically change on Saturday.

For instance (and this is just for me, not necessarily how you would react), I found that when I moved up to 1,200 cals / 100 grams of Protein and carbs after Month 6 that my weight took about a week to stabilize lower. Prior to that the graph had gone down in a much straighter pattern. And after Month 6 it moved downward in week-long, upward first, then downward waves. (I hope that makes sense.)

@@MarceMonster ...

I'm one of those who didn't worry about low carb during my weight loss phases. Serindipitously, I wound up eating about the same number of grams of carbs and Proteins on an average daily basis.

I also am one of those who, after 4 months, starting increasing the number of calories I ate (on the advice of my bariatric PA) so as not to accustom my body to operating on low cals. I added calories by increasing my Protein and adding low-glycemic, high-fiber carbs (colored veggies, lower-sugar fruits, whole grains).

I didn't lose as fast as you're losing, but I really didn't care so much about speed. On the other hand, I didn't have any big or long stalls, but lost steadily.

Although my daily intake varied, here are the daily averages I aimed for:

Month 1 - 500 cals, 60 gms protein

Months 2-4 - 800 cals, 70-75 grams protein

Months 5-6 - 1,000 cals, 85 grams protein

Months 7-8 - 1,200 cals, 100 grams protein (I reached my weight goal (150 lbs) during Month 8)

Thereafter, I added 100 cals/day every few weeks, until I have found a "sweet spot" that works for me -- at 144 pounds and 1700-1750 cals/day (average).

I can't prove it, of course, but my theory is that eating more calories and more carbs while I was losing weight has helped me be able to eat more to maintain my weight at a pretty high calorie budget.

But I've only been at maintenance for 3.5 months. As I've said repeatedly, things may change. And if they do, I'll have to change how I'm eating.

This whole trip is very interesting. I've come to understand and accept that what works best for Person A is not necessarily what works best for Person B.

"....low-glycemic, high-fiber carbs (colored veggies, lower-sugar fruits, whole grains.)"----see! That's so key. I think you nailed it. I really believe (from the nutrition courses I have taken) that following a so-called low-carb plan isn't all it's cracked up to be for everyone. It's the kind of carbs one eats not simply "carbs." What's better for us? A nice juicy peach in season or a hunk of double chocolate cake? Both are carbs buy the peach won't come with regrets, lol, at least not for me anyways.

But now I want cake. Lololol

Seriously, though, we have to remember it's about quality.

Edited August 7, 201510 yr by tomi71

If you eat 100 grams of protein a day, that's only 400 calories! If you need to get in 1000-1500 calories, you have to eat 100 grams of carbs plus some healthy fats. I think the post above referring to being able to maintain weight loss by eating more during weight loss is right on. Slower and permanent has got to be the better approach.

My NUT said I should only be eating 600-700 calories, so I definitely couldn't fit in 100g carbs!

100 carbs is alot i couldn't take that in. I can only eat about a portion size of a boiled egg right now so it is easy for me to eat low carbs. My protein shakes are my life savers since my intake is so small.

But you're both about 2 months post-op.

At your tenure, I was eating only 800 calories, 60 grams of Protein and about the same grams of carbs.